MLS Wrap 2004

I largely agree with you but a couple of minor quibbles:

1. I disagree with you re Harkes. I thought he was his typical "agree with all sides of the argument" self. He's the anti-Wynalda. I'd love for some American analyst to find the middle ground but maybe that's just me.

I also wish he'd break down the game(s) a little more, to really use his analyst skills to get "inside the game". Maybe that's asking too much - both of him and of the show, but in an hour long game reviewing (usually) 5 games, you'd think it'd be possible.

2. I wish they would show more of the buildup on some of the goals/plays. An example: Herzog's goal v. the Revs. The counterattack began way back at the top of the 18 at the other end and was a joy to behold but we only saw the final pass and the strike. It would only have taken an extra 5-6 seconds to get the whole play in. Maybe this was partially 'cause the LA game was the game that just ended prior to Wrap, but one reason I like the EPL Revew Show or the French League highlights show is 'cause they show the plays from where they originated, rather than just the last blip.

Still, I too thought the show was already an improvement over last year and look forward to their continued development.

btw: anyone else conjuring up stories to tell to try to win those 4 free tix to a local game?

 

I thought the new season was excellent. Great call by them to drop some of the things which were making the flow of the show a bit akward. I generally liked the idea of putting the line ups in the front but it really just was somethign that wasn't workign with the timing of the show in terms of when it is broadcast or what have you.

I like the fact that they're using that time to show more and longer highlights. That's definately an improvement. More of them, more looks and it really appears to be much more in depth. The fact that they're still not really showing more of the build up may simply be an editorial decision. I too wish that they'd show more of the build up but truthfully I'm not really sure how you'd comintate that from a review type perspective. Maybe it'd be as simple as showing one more shot before the goal scoring began, but I have a feeling that it's defiantely an editorial decision in regards to the pacing of the show. For example I could see a sitiuation where by you're showing a highlight and essentially waiting for the action to begin taking place. This is not supposed to be the EPL review show folks, and I don't think that it should be. However it does appear that they still have a ways to get the balance right between showing what's most important and putting it into the proper context, so to speak.

The second show will be interesting to see what the do with that email segment and the call in one. They're putting them together in one segment now as opposed tobreaking them up which is an excellent idea. Another way that the quality of the show improves by not trying to do too much.

I personally like the interaction this year more between Harks and Wheelock, they dfinately seem to be more comfortable with each other, even more so than the end of last year where I really felt they began to hit their stride. I still feel sometimes like it's too much talking head from Harkes and I've felt for a long while that the show could use a third, Peter Gammons-like person. Although, just having the two of them does provide for a neat little package.

Some other points: The directing of the show appears to be much crisper this year. Cuts seem to be at the right time, and you have the both of them anticipating nwhat camera they're going to much better. Their lighting has improved too. I thought last year that sometiems they were kinda getting washed out a little bit and it had kind of a public access feel to the show. They still need to move their seats up like 3 inches. These are the little things that catch my eye from a production point of view but sometimes they seem like they're getting swallowed a littel bit with that big desk. Moving them up a little bit would make them look a lot more authoritative. Also, their sound mixing is a lot better this year. That's really an incrediably hard thing to get right if you've ever tried to do it before and I rally think they've mostly nailed it with the interlacing of music in the background.

Overall an absolte joy to have teh show back. For guys like me who don't have the shoot out package it really allows me to see what's going on with the rest of teh league, and especially with the longer hihglights this year it gives you a better idea of the performance of each team.

Additionally anyone who doesn't think that the quality of MLS has improved or is in a very solid position is absolutely crazy. Week in and week out MLSers are scoring world class goals. Simply amazing.

 

I missed this episode - I wish we could stream it from foxsportsworld.com, perhaps on a 24 hour delay or something.

Has Harkes managed to learn which camera to look at? It drove me nuts last year when he kept not turning into the correct camera at the right time.

MLS Wrap should take some lessons from Futbol de Primero, the Argentine highlights show. That show is wonderful - great music, graphics, editing, and a nice mix of commentary (dubbed by Bozzo on FSW) and action.

 

Remember though too that MLS Wraps is up against a lot of issues in regards to resources and time. Although it's a weekly wrap up show they're still throwing tape together for some games only minutes before their show starts. Although stylistically that may mean the shows not as sleek it sure is more fresh.

 

Unfortunately, I no longer have Fox Sports World.

but one question - Are Harkes and Wheelock doing the voice-overs or do they still have that mark rogandino guy doing them? And is C. Miles still on the show?

 

Mark Rogandino left FSW to do some sports announcing (and maybe other stuff) in San Diego. Nick Webster took up his spot as an announcer. Harkes and Wheelock do the voice-overs though. Christian Miles still does features and postmatch interviews from the FSW game.

Nice to see this week's show with Anthony LaPaglia and an Adu feature. Hope they keep this up.

Also good they appear to be selling a few targeted ads on both the game and MLS Wrap. Probably MLS made Panasonic and Honda buy in, but Western Union also bought some inventory. Home Depot has also bought some ads on FSW in the past, maybe they'll do it with MLS eventually.

 

Yes, but then they only had 2 games and had to fill a lot of time...

Western Union is sponsoring the Earthquakes, at least. Whenever there's a corner kick for the Quakes at home, they put a blurb on the P.A. about a "Western Union Right-Around-The-Corner Kick" with a few more words about Western Union's ubiquitous services. Cheesy, but I hope the money's good.

 

Saw it for the first time today. Miles better than 2003. Production is better, graphically, camerawise, and in the preproduced segments. The setup is better and more like Baseball Tonight (the STANDARD in live highlight shows) in that instead of the voiceover 'condensed games' they do extended highlights with Sean and John discussing the game and John adding commentary later. Sean is keeping his mouth shut more and letting things explain themselves or let John do the talking. Cheesy segments have been altered or cut, the celeb guest was a nice touch and added some meat to the show. The Adu interview was eh, but that's more me not caring for Christian Miles, though he has gotten better. It almost feels like a legit operation now.

 

You've got something there, although I think with an hour show, there's enough time for condensed games and expert analysis. The problem, of course, is the turn-around time. The reason Harkes and Wheelock were constantly gabbing and agreeing last year is that they were trying to stretch five highlight clips of five games over an hour show. It seemed last year they were getting a packaged highlight feed from some of the broadcasts, and had nothing to work with. More, longer(deeper) highlights is the key, with well-prepared, thought-out analysis. John did a good job with the SJ-Fire game, freezing the defensive organization in the match. He had a few hours to work that out, and it came off well. The DC-LA game, not as good. The voice-over contained a lot of "watch this" and "looky here" as play description. A day's worth of prep would do this show wonders, but apparently that's not possible.

 

Would there be a huge problem in broadcasting the Wrap on Sunday afternoons?? Does anyone think the fans would have a problem waiting if it allows for a better program?? Midnight start time is a bit rough for many as it is, particularly if you were up in time for the morning live Premiership match. I think a Sunday afternoon MLS Wrap would give them time to review the highlight footage and to develop some more in depth analysis. You can see Harkes and Wheelock struggle through the late game that just finished, they haven't had time to prep properly.

 

This has been talked about many times on these MLS Wrap thread. They didn't change anything this year so I'm assuming that it's a very conscious decision to keep it this way. Although a lot of times I miss it at midnight and their show would probably be slicker if they did it at 4pm the next day LIVE instead of re-airing it, I still really like the freshness and immediacy of the show.

 

What, no comments on LaPaglia saying that being on MLS Wrap was "like a wet dream?"

And the fact that they left it in for the replay on Sunday afternoon?

 

It's a testament to how few people outside our little Geek-a-torium watch it.

Hell, the FSW BRASS probably doesn't even watch.

Or were too cheap to fix it.

 

Bingo.

FOX Sports Int'l is a low budget operation.

The only big ticket item in the FSI budget is the US TV rights fee to the English Premier League.

Besides, FOX Sports World is a cable/satellite network. The "17 words" rule only applies to free-to-air broadcast TV.

 

Just watched the Week 3 edition of MLS Wrap. Could've been their best show ever if it'd not been for some directorial and production snafus.

For those of who were looking to see more buildup in the highlights, you've got it. I didn't think it was something that was that important, but they included plenty of it tonight and it really enhanced the quality of their broadcast. Again super analysis with breakign down of the film and highlights from Harkes in the first two blocks "Freeze it right there!" Phenominal. Much of the same as in weeks past the later games the editing and analysis isn't as smooth, but whatever.

Also, they brought back Sully to fill my pet suggestion roll as the Third Talking Head. The segment was pretty well done as he'd commentatd the game and added a lot of things that Harkes hadn't said and they covered it with the appropriate highlights nicely.

However... production and direction. I realize this is a low budget show probably with inexpierenced people, at least in producing an hour long soccer highlights show, because well noone has before. But the show was all over the place. One minute they're talking about one thing the next 'Oh btw Pat Onstad was player of the week last year. Oh btw Chicago played in the CCC last week. (It was cool to see those highlights though) And, Oh lets talk about the KC game now.' All that stuff from a broadcasting standpoint is incrediably annoying. It shouldn't be that hard to script out a show and to transition it from one piece to the next.

Also, directionwise... I know everyone is chummy with everyone and everything, but don't have a guest commentator come on and start high fiving one of your hosts. Fox in general will do this with the Best Damned Sports show or whatever but it just looked ridiculous. Then they plugged Sully's freakin website and hats 3? times. Jeez. Two other things were that there was a mis-cut in there where they took the wrong camera, and it appeared as though they came in a little early off of one of the breaks.

Sean looked like he was having a rough go of it. At the end of the show he said, "And my voice made it!" It was pretty funny, you could definately tell he was under the weather.

Harkes is doing a nice job of being more critical, even if it is just giving players a hard time about missing chances and the such. Could slow down his delivery a little bit.

 

I don't know what your problem is, but I'll bet it's hard to pronounce...

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. That's why I always hear the f-word on A&E.

I think "wet dream" is more funny and inappropriate than vulgar or obscene.

 

WHAT is with Harkes' accent? Did he spend the winter in Glasgow? It sounds like he's channeling Robert Duvall from "A Shot at Glory." I don't remember him having a brogue last year. It's unbearable.

 

I have been one the show's biggest critics last year. i have only watched the last 20 minutes of the third show this season.

Just quickly.. As last year, please spend your hour of time showing highlights and showing the flow of the match. When you do show a goal, you might want to consider showing it again!

But my beef from last year still stands: This should be a 30 minute show with one host and highlights. They just don't have the experience personel to pull off a hour show without the endless dribble of the Sean-John lovefest. blah blah blah.

If John could provide tactical insight like a Dir, Smyth or even Wynalda they would be getting their monies worth.. But anyone could point out the stuff that John is spouting.

They don't need to spend more money on the show, they need to make better decisions.

 

You might want to consider watching a whole show. They're showing a ton more highlights this year and will show goals over and over again from other angles. And I think this week they've begun to show more buildup.

 

Fair enough, but this week, much like all last year, they were done showing highlights with 15 minutes remaining. The last quarter hour was all crap.

don't even get me started on the goals they chose for "Goals of the Week".

 

Only so many different highlights you can show for 5 games. I think it's just fine that they have that block reserved for 'Other' things. I tihnk the pacign of the show is much better this year. They don't seem like they have that 'Oh crap we've got to fill time!' look any more. However like I said it could use some production changes. Maybe they can fill that last segment with 'Other Soccer News' bits.